A U.S. drone strike reportedly killed eight individuals at an al-Shabab command post in southern Somalia. It is believed to be the first U.S. drone strike in Somalia since President Trump relaxed rules for targeting al-Shabab militants. (New York Times)

Canada announced that it is moving ahead with its acquisition of strike-capable drones. The planned acquisition is part of a $62 billion investment in new military systems and technologies. In a press conference, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the government will carefully review how to best use the drones prior to deployment. (CBC)

Alphabet will sell Boston Dynamics, which makes quadruped and bipedal robots, as well as robotics firm Schaft, to SoftBank Group, a Japanese telecommunications corporation. Boston Dynamics has become well-known for developing advanced, dexterous robots. Alphabet acquired Boston Dynamics in 2013 and Schaft in 2014. (Recode)

A U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone near the Al Tanf border crossing between Syria and Iraq. In a statement, the U.S.-led coalition said that the drone had earlier attacked U.S. allies on the ground and that it was approximately the size of a U.S. MQ-1 Predator, indicating that it was likely a Shahed-129 drone. A variety of Iranian drones have supported pro-regime forces in Syria since at least 2012. (The Daily Beast) For more on the drones operating in Syria and Iraq, click here.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded BAE Systems two contracts worth $5.4 million to develop a payload architecture that will enable smaller drones to multitask, a program known as CONCERTO. (IHS Jane’s 360)

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